Can you see what I’m looking at there on my fancy schmancy new iPad?  It’s the sleep pod pattern!  That’s what all of my computer time has gone toward this week while Barry was home for Christmas vacation.  Want a closer look?

You can read my product description over here on my pattern page and buy a copy from my shop if you’re so inclined.

The really sad thing is that Eva has outgrown hers.  Just this week it has turned into the diaper basket.  It does make a good cloth diaper basket and I’m sure it will hold all of her stuffed animals and dolls in years to come.  I can’t bare to just hide it away in the basement.

(And I must add that my iPad is super cool and a completely unexpected surprise.  It was so fun to Skype with on Christmas day so grandparents could see the kids open presents, I’ve got my current knitting pattern on it so I don’t have to keep reprinting it out because I lose it, and best of all I’ve been using it to do yoga every morning in my room first thing.  It truly is a marvel!)

I love having a Moses basket for a newborn.  It is so nice to have a cozy place to lay baby down right next to me wherever I am in the house– on the couch while I’m reading to other kids, on the floor next to my sewing table, in my room next to my bed.  It’s her own little sanctuary that even the 2 year old understands is the baby’s bed.

So, when I was dreaming about Eva coming I decided I wanted to make a Moses basket and write up the pattern to add to my SweetPod collection.

Here it is!  It’s been in constant use for the past 4 weeks (Really, it’s been 4 weeks?!) and I’ve decided it passed the functionality test.

It has a removable, washable quilted bumper pad,

and a mattress with a removable, washable cover.   I’m just about done with the pattern writing.  I have had such a hard time making myself sit down and write it, but I made a lot of headway today and will be ready to send it out to testers by next Friday for sure.

I have to say up front this is not a quick project or an inexpensive one, but as a mama of 6 I definitely think it is worth the work and money to have a super cute, comfy place to lay my perfect little bundle.

Anyone want to try it?  **I’ve got all the testers I need, thanks!** I’ll need 2 testers.  If you’d like to be one send an e-mail to jessica {at} seedpodcraft {dot} com and let me know how quickly you think you could get it done (give yourself at least a week) and what kind of sewing experience you have. Luckily, all the supplies should be available at your local JoAnn’s and quilt store.  I’ll let you know whether or not I’ll need you as a tester by Wednesday and get the pattern e-mailed to you by Friday next week.

Here’s Eva’s corner in my room– full of things that could each be a blog post in and of themselves.

There’s the new Moses basket I designed that will be my next baby gear sewing pattern (the SweetPod Sleep Spot maybe?), new handknit booties and hat for a fresh head and toes…

the newborn diapers all freshly washed and waiting…

a newly slip-covered rocking chair and a hexagon stripe quilt…

On Monday I had contractions every 10 minutes ALL DAY LONG– from about 7:30 in the morning until 9:30 or so at night.  While I could tell that it wasn’t quite the real thing yet I also felt like it could turn very real any second.  I was on a roller coaster of thought and emotion.  I wasn’t ready!  I need this one last week!  My shelves and refrigerator were empty– so a major grocery shopping trip was accomplished and eased some of the unready feelings.  We braved the new Ikea to buy that new dresser we really needed when the last baby was born so we could have a place to keep clothes and blankies.  I think my body was just trying to tell me to get with it, stop dilly-dallying.  There will be a baby coming next week, or the next.  My days with Hunter as the baby are numbered– as are my days of needing help rolling over in bed.

Last night, as the sky looked like this:

I relished in the wonderful day I had swimming with my kids and stocked my freezer with 3 pans of Chicken Enchiladas.  Today is Lasagna day.

And I’m feeling ready– with each day a little more.

How do you like my new blog design?  My superhero computer genius has been hard at work for a few weeks getting it all ready while I’ve been finishing up

…drum roll please…

the Saddle Bag pattern!!!

It’s ready and up in my shop.  I’ve got a new SweetPod section of my site too, so check it out.

I have to say that my pattern testers were stupendous.  Thanks so much for your hard work and input Jodi and RaeLyn.

Here’s RaeLyn’s:

And here’s Jodi’s:

Aren’t that fluffy hair and flower head band on baby Tess irresistible, not to mention those legs?

Their bags turned out great!  I can’t wait to see what all of you come up with!

Here are a few things I made lately and then sent them away.

My brother served a 2 year mission in Mexico and a friend from there just had her first baby.  She wanted a baby carrier that was more than a long piece of fabric, so I made this up for her.

The lining is a honeydew green which I think is a fun surprise.

I’m also behind on some baby gifts, but it’s always nice to get a surprise when your baby is 8 months old, right?  And the weather now is just right for a Sweet Pea pilot cap or two.

I found this pig fabric a while ago at The Fancy Tiger which was crying out to be made into bibs.

Wouldn’t you agree that piggies are for bibs?

Before our trip I received a little box of labels I had ordered with the SweetPod logo on them.  (More about that very soon!)  I was also in the process of perfecting my Saddlebag pattern.  I just HAD to have a carrier and bag with the new labels, and it seemed trekking through the airport with all the kids in tow, along with all of the other things we had planned for our trip, would be the perfect opportunity to really test out the bag and carrier together and see if there was more tweaking to do.  That, and I had some beautiful Anna Maria Horner Sketchbook fabric begging to be made into a SweetPod set.

I have to tell you that my SweetPod really made the whole trip that much better.  With Hunter in the carrier and Ian in a stroller, getting through the airport wasn’t too bad.  (I don’t think going through security with 5 kids will ever be enjoyable, though.)  It was so nice to have my hands free, and my bag was just the right size for the necessary diapers, wipes, and board books.  We didn’t take pictures in the airport, though, so you’ll just have to believe me when I say it made things easier.

We did take it just about everywhere else, though.  Hunter had a safe, comfy place to see the view from the fire tower at Pawtuckaway.

We navigated the “T” (the trains and subways in Boston) with the Saddlebag attached.

And hiked 2 1/2 miles of the Freedom Trail to places like Faneuil Hall and Paul Revere’s house.  (Did you know Paul Revere had 16 kids?  I thought 5 was a lot of kids!)

We also made a trip to a farm near Barry’s sister’s home in Massachusetts with the toddler on my back some more.

I have to say that the Saddlebag passed the test with flying colors.  Now to get those changes I made onto the pattern pieces in my computer and those pesky illustrations done.  I need super human powers, I tell ya.

Oh, and did you notice the labels?  I’ll show them up close soon.

Have you looked at the SweetPod flickr group lately?  Well, I’ll give you a few of the highlights, but you really should just mosey on over and look at them yourself.

Isn’t this such a great manly carrier with the denim and the scooters? (from Sew She Sews)

Speaking of scooters, here’s another fantastic one:

I absolutely love the fabric choices on this next one from Liz. I think I need to make myself one.

I can’t get over how cool it is to see how people are using my pattern.  Really, you guys are awesome!  It is so fun to see how people put together fabrics and lug around their cute babies.  I’m so excited that people out there are as excited about the SweetPod as I am.

So, about the Saddle Bag pattern.  Many of you have been asking when it will be ready.  It is still in the works.  I’ve got the pattern pieces digitized, I’ve got instructions typed up, but those illustrations are holding me up.  They’ll get done, but I can’t say when.  It seems I have a very hard time holding myself to a time line.  Things like reminding a little boy to go potty, cleaning up the mess when said little boy goes potty in the wrong place, and doing laundry have taken precedent.  Not very exciting, I know, but my life does revolve around bodily fluids and not sewing contrary to popular belief.  I wish I could be more specific, but I seem to totally misjudge when I can get things done and feel like a loser for not keeping commitments, so I’m just going to keep it vague for now.

In the mean time– keep sewing your SweetPods!!  It is SO FUN to see them!

Ever since I dreamed up my baby carrier pattern writing project I wanted to design a bag to go along with it.  I needed to be something that could attach to the carrier to make it function like a back-pack and have enough room to keep essentials on hand, and also work as a stand alone diaper bag that would fit the carrier inside along with the essentials.  So, I’ve been working on (drum roll please…)

the SweetPod Saddle Bag!

It attaches to the carrier!

And makes a great diaper bag!

This design definitely needs some tweaking and refining.  First off, I think this first run is too big.  I was able to fit diapers, wipes, a blankey, and my camera– not to mention my wallet, keys, and water bottle.  In addition to my nearly 30 lb. baby it was WAY too heavy!  But I’m on the right track.

Any of you SweetPod users out there want to try it out?  You should be able to use the home dec fabric left over from making your carrier.  This initial test version of the pattern won’t be super detailed, though, so I’ll need anyone wanting to try it out to be able to do it with minimal instruction.  I’d love to get 4 or 5 more people (RaeLyn is already on board, of course), so if you’re up for it shoot an e-mail to jessica {at} seedpodcraft dot com.  It’ll probably be another week before I get the pattern pieces digitized and ready to send out, but I’d love to get an idea of who I’m going to send them to!  You’ll need a 7 inch zipper, a 1 inch side release buckle, 2 1 1/2″ snap hooks, 1 1 1/2″ single bar slide (I found both of these at my local REI,, but I can’t find any on the REI website), 1/2 yd of 1 inch webbing, and 2/3 yd of your heavy weight solid, lining fabric and neutral flannel for interfacing.

If you’re interested please let me know!

UPDATE ***I think I have plenty of testers!!  Thanks!**

A few months ago, I want to say in late October or early November, my friend Catherine and I were out shopping.  I needed to go to Costco and once we got there I decided to put both of my little boys in the cart, instead of wearing Hunter in my SweetPod.

*gasp* “Can I try your baby carrier, then?!”  Catherine asked.

“Well, of course.”

I proceeded to help her adjust and get her little guy loaded up.  We tried him on the front, swung him to the back, and then Catherine proceeded to stroll, no, proudly strut through Costco exclaiming things like, “This is so liberating!”  “This is so much more comfortable than the Baby Bjorn!”

I said, “I’ll totally make you one!”

Um, well, I just finished it.  Here it is hot off the sewing table.

I immediately had to try it out before I walked it over to its rightful owner.  Since pictures I took myself were more of the mess in my art room than the brand-spanking new SweetPod, I enlisted Jonah’s photo taking abilities.

I used apple green canvas duck for the solid heavyweight fabric, which I totally love.  The carrier I wear daily has a dark brown denim, which has worn in beautifully and is really soft and comfy, but I really like the hefty feel of the canvas on this one.

I think Catherine and her little guy like it too.

I hear it made maneuvering the airport a cinch the other weekend.

I’m glad you like it Catherine!!

Sorry it took me so long.

(So, I’ve had several people ask if I would sew them a SweetPod.  As much as I’d like to say yes, I think you’d be sorry.  As you can see– it’s a long time between October and the end of February, which is how long it took me to get this one done.  Your baby would probably outgrow it before I could get it to you!  And, part of the fun is being able to say, “Yeah, I made it.”  Which you totally can.  Even Jessica says so.  And I promise you’ll be able to do it in much less than 4 months.)

While I was designing and writing the SweetPod pattern I wrote many an e-mail to my blog friend Meg at Sew Liberated.  She was so kind and gracious to answer all of my questions and help me along the whole pattern designing and writing process.  Though she couldn’t fit being a pattern tester into her book-writing, pattern designing, new baby life we decided we’d do a trade.  She cut the pattern pieces from fabrics she loves (left over from book projects), sent them over to me, and I sewed them all together.  Now I’ll have a little advertising button over on the right hand side of her lovely blog.  Check out her post about her carrier.  Finn!  in that hat!!  I can’t stand the cuteness!

It’s made with an Echino print for the decorative panel and a luxurious silk/ hemp charmeuse for the lining and sleeping hood.  Lovely and fun for that mama, and that chubby little boy.

I’m glad you like it, Meg!!